


Just a Dream

by scarecrowstories



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Implied Sexual Content, Multi, Polyamory, Threesome - M/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-27
Updated: 2017-01-27
Packaged: 2018-09-20 07:46:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9481574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scarecrowstories/pseuds/scarecrowstories
Summary: After Kirkwall, Anders, Fenris, and Garrett are on the run together. It isn't easy, but they're there for one another. One night while staying at an inn far from home, Anders has a nightmare and is comforted by his lovers.





	

**Author's Note:**

> this was the first fic I wrote for this fandom, and the first I'd written in a very long time! if you're interested in seeing more like this, you can also find me at scarecrowstories.tumblr.com. always accepting prompts/requests. thanks for reading!

Just A Dream

Anders awoke with a start, sitting up and looking around frantically as the screaming from his nightmare subsided. He was breathing heavily and shaking, fighting through the foggy disorientation that such sudden waking brought. Looking down beside himself he saw that both Garrett and Fenris were still asleep somehow; he was grateful that he hadn't jostled either of them awake this time. Gently, Anders folded the covers away from his body and stood from the bed, getting up as quietly as he could manage. He needed to pace away his nervous energy but feared that he would wake his sleeping lovers.

The window in the bedroom at this inn was overlooking the nearby plains, lit by nothing but the moon and stars for miles. They'd been on the run a long time, the three of them together, and he wondered how much longer they were going to put up with him. With a sigh, he pushed the thought down. He loved them both as they loved him, and he was determined to fight the depressing thoughts that threatened to engulf him.

He cracked the window to breathe in the fresh air, hoping the gentle breeze wouldn't wake his lovers either. Would they be angry with him if he left the inn to pace around outside? He'd done similar things before; if he returned before they woke up then it was fine, but several times they'd woken to find him gone and panicked. But if he paced the small room then he risked waking them with the creaking floorboards. Sighing, he sat on one of two chairs by the window and resorted to tapping his fingers rhythmically on the sill; it wasn't the direction he'd wanted to push his nervous energy, but it would have to do.

It had been a while since Anders had had a nightmare about darkspawn and the archdemon. Since they fled Kirkwall months ago he had mostly been plagued by nightmares of Templars and the circle and losing Karl. Oftentimes he dreamed that Garrett hadn't spared him, that they'd fought one another tearfully, Garrett's sobbing face covered in Ander's blood haunting him as he died in his lover's arms. Those were all bad enough. Deep down, though, Anders knew that one day he may be in a place where such things were behind him; it would never be so with the darkspawn nightmares. Those would be with him until the day he died.

Breathing in the cool breeze to ground himself, Anders exhaled with a shudder, letting his eyes close as he focused on the sensation of wind on his face. He jumped, nearly toppling over, when a hand touched his shoulder.

"Sorry I didn't mean to startle you," Garrett said gently. "Are you all right, love?"

Anders opened and closed his mouth in silence several times before settling for a nod, unable to maintain eye contact. Despite his efforts it seemed he'd woken Garrett anyway; he felt guilty.

Garrett placed a hand on Anders' cheek and guided his face towards his, giving him a soft kiss on the forehead. "It's okay if you don't want to talk about it, but I'm here for you if you do. Is there any way I can make you feel better?" Running his fingers through Anders hair, Garrett knew not to push his lover too far in times of distress. Reassurances and small comforts were fine if he didn't expressly request space, but he had learned through trial and error where to draw the line.

"I'll be okay," Anders heard himself say, though he supposed it was true. "Just the usual Warden nightmares. Been a while." He noticed he was still trembling when he was unable to steady his voice, so he moved to lay one of his shaky hands over Garrett's, currently resting at his temple. "You're already doing more than enough."

Garrett leaned down to press another kiss to his forehead before sitting on the other chair across from Anders. He scooted it closer so that he could bring their foreheads together. "I love you so much, Anders. I know that some days you have trouble believing it, but I'll say it as many times as you need me to. If there was some way to free you from the taint I'd do it in a heartbeat. But if all I can do is be here for you then damn it, I'm going to be." He'd resumed stroking Anders' hair with one hand, the other lightly petting his leg, bare below where his tunic stopped.

"Thank you," Anders whispered. "I'm sorry I woke you."

"It's okay, I'd rather lose sleep to help you feel better than leave you to suffer alone." That made Anders tear up; what did he do to deserve such a wonderful man? "Are you going to be coming back to bed, or should we leave Fenris a note and go on a walk?" Garrett asked.

Anders smiled; a walk was tempting, but so was going back under the covers and letting himself be pulled against Garrett's broad chest, surrounded by his warmth. He looked back at the bed to see Fenris still curled up under the blanket and thought about how nice it would be to have Garrett at his back, arm over his waist, while nuzzling Fenris' snowy white hair. "Can I be in the middle?" he asked, looking back at Garrett, who simply smiled and nodded before standing. When Anders was standing as well, Garrett pulled him in for an embrace, rubbing small circles on his back.

"Everything is going to be okay, Anders. We're here for you and we love you, okay?" He kissed him tenderly on the lips before leading him back to the bed. As they climbed in, Fenris shifted with loud grumbles of protest before opening his eyes and blinking sleepily at them.

"Is everything all right?" he murmured, rolling and splaying his arms so he could also hold Anders. When Anders was close enough, he snuggled up to his side and kissed the side of his face. "Are you okay?"

Anders sighed contentedly. "I'll be okay; just some nightmares." He let himself be cuddled by Fenris, who was always affectionate in his sleep, as he was embraced by Garrett from his other side. "Love you both," he said, turning to give each a kiss.

Fenris had already drifted back to sleep, an arm over Ander's chest and his face pressed between his shoulder and neck. Garrett's arm was over his waist, his hand lazily petting Anders' hip. They all had their nightmares, and so were used to piling love onto whoever needed it the most that night, but it never ceased to amaze Anders just how much love there was in them. He'd never believed himself worthy of a lover, let alone two; even more surprising, then, that one had previously been someone he despised.

After Garrett had also fallen back asleep, Anders found he preferred to lay awake and drink in the warmth, savoring the breeze that still reached them from the window. He wished he could stay in their arms like this forever, but knew that they were leaving this inn come morning for wherever they wandered next. It was the time of year where autumn had not yet fully arrived, but summer was clearly forgotten. They would likely spend the next few weeks, probably more, camping; he cherished the feeling of a mattress as best he could.

At some point he must have also fallen asleep, as when he opened his eyes it was light out. Fenris had rolled away at some point, curled up once again, and Garrett was on his back with his limbs tossed in all directions, snoring. Anders sat up, looking down at them with a soft smile. He always slept the least of the three of them, something they often scolded him for, but being in the middle meant he couldn't easily escape the bed without waking at least one of them up.

Before he could decide, Fenris turned towards him and moved closer, throwing an arm back around his waist. "Sleep," he quietly commanded. "You never get enough. We aren't in a rush to leave today." Anders opened his mouth to protest that he was no longer tired, but Fenris cut him off. "And don't say you're awake now; this is our last bed for a while and I want to hold you in it."

Anders loved how assertive Fenris was about his affections; he appreciated that he and Garrett were so insistent on comforting him when they knew he was distressed. It was a unique feeling, but not unwelcome. Anders lay back down and held Fenris, kissing the top of his head. "You're something else, you know that, right?" he whispered.

"I do," Fenris affirmed. "But so are you. I regret how long it took us both to see that, but I am happy we're here now," he continued, placing feather-light kisses all over Ander's chest and collarbone.

The confession made Anders' heart skip a beat. They'd been foolish, hadn't they? Both were so wrapped up in their own trauma that they were blind to the other, hurting each other again and again. "I am too, Fenris," he whispered, holding him more tightly and humming softly as the kisses continued. "Being with you and Garrett… it’s the best thing that's ever happened to me." He tilted Fenris' face towards him to kiss his lips, face flushing when he heard the breathy moan that his lover made as he kissed back.

They continued to kiss as hands started to wander, Anders resting his on Fenris' ass as Fenris began petting his neck. Anders whined as fingers traced over a sensitive spot and he chuckled when Fenris whispered a hasty "Shhh" against his lips. "You'll wake him," he said, smirking.

"Oh come on, that would be more fun and you know it," Anders replied playfully, squeezing Fenris' ass briefly and grinning at the low groan that the elf bit back, arching into the touch. He was so lost in the warmth of Fenris' lips and caresses that he was startled when he felt Garrett's hand on his shoulder.

"How rude not to invite me," Garrett teased. Though his tone was low and seductive, his hair was still a mess from sleep; his lovers laughed at the sight. Realizing he looked ridiculous, Garrett smoothed his hair down as best he could with a pout on his face. "I swear, you two…"

"What was that? I can't hear you over Anders," Fenris said, brushing a hand over Anders' erection, eliciting a loud moan at the unexpected touch.

Garrett pressed closer and kissed Anders' neck. "Is it gonna be that kind of morning?" he asked, face warming as the mage let out another whine.

"Can it be?" Anders begged. Instead of replying, both of his lovers moved in to kiss him. He didn't know how he had gotten so lucky even after all of the things he'd done; not now, he decided, squashing down the encroaching memories of the burning chantry, cloying smell of smoke and blood, clash of swords ringing in the air, screams, he refused to dwell on it lest he ruin the moment.   
Within moments he found himself blessedly distracted by Fenris' lips once again on his, the elf's gentle scent shoving away the lingering memory of fire. Garrett's continuous flow of compliments to the two of them whispered in a sultry voice chased away the last echoes of the dying.

If only they could stay like this forever.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The three of them were cuddled in a pile on the bed after cleaning themselves up, choosing to remain naked for just a little while longer. Fenris was in the middle now, slightly crushed between his larger lovers. They were silent for several minutes before Garrett spoke up. "Would you two like to get dressed and have some breakfast? As wonderful as this is we do need to start our day eventually," he said, reluctantly taking his arm back to begin the process.

Anders followed suit, sitting up and running his fingers through his hair before groping around for his hair-tie; Fenris pouted at the sudden loss of warmth, which made Garrett smile and poke his cheek. "I know, you're chilly, but the sooner you get dressed the sooner we can have some nice, hot tea."

"When do we want to hit the road by?" Anders asked, glancing out the window and estimating that it was some time mid-morning. "Because I can start packing our things while you two go get breakfast, if you don't mind bringing it here."

Garrett nodded, pulling his shirt on and smoothing out the creases. "Sure, we're probably gonna want to leave by lunch time. It's at least two weeks to the next town we're stopping in, given our pace, but if we get desperate there's another we can stop in." He pulled up his pants and sat down to put on his socks. "But let's avoid that if possible; fewer stops makes us less predictable to track, and all that."

Having finally gotten out of the bed, Fenris was looking around for his own clothes. "Yes, well, my concern is once we get into the forest. The plains were simple enough to navigate, but an unfamiliar forest? Could be dangerous." 

"I think we'll be all right," Anders assured. "I'm sure a compass will be plenty so long as we can stick to the paths. More dangerous than getting lost would be the hunters, if you ask me." He was already fully dressed and gathering their few scattered belongings together. "Provided we don't get mistaken for game, I could even offer to heal them of any injuries in exchange for coin or food."

By this point both Fenris and Garrett had finished dressing as well. "Fair enough. We'll be right back," Garrett said as the two of them left Anders to his own thoughts. He packed their bags quickly and efficiently, clinging to the sense of peace that their earlier love-making had brought him. They may be fugitives, but they were together. He felt they could get through anything.

When the other two returned, the smell of warm bread made him realize how hungry he was. As he sipped the hot tea, he relaxed even further. "Thank you," he said to them, gratefully biting into the bread he'd been handed. "We still have some spare coin from when I healed those villagers the other day, if you think we should stock up on supplies while we can." Fenris and Garrett exchanged a glance before nodding. 

Anders didn't like to charge for his services even while they were on the run; he'd made do in Darktown, so he figured he could on the road as well. But he didn't have just himself to worry about anymore. His healing was often the only thing they were able to do to afford the occasional stay at an inn, and he couldn't begrudge them a proper bed and bath on the rare occasions the opportunity presented itself.

"Are you feeling better, love?" Garrett asked, taking another sip of tea.

Anders nodded. "I am, thanks. You two don't need to take it on yourselves to take care of me, but you do, and it means the world to me. I can't thank you enough." He didn't hold back the sincerity in his voice. With their being in constant danger of being discovered by Templars, he wanted to make sure his lovers had no doubt of his love for them.

Finishing up his tea, Fenris set the cup down on the window sill and moved to sit beside Anders on the edge of the bed. He leaned his head on the taller man's shoulder, an arm sneaking around his waist. "You needn't thank us; we love you, too."

Smiling, Anders turned his head to kiss the top of Fenris'. "I know, I just…" he trailed off, voice catching.

"Shh, it's all right," Fenris assured, nuzzling his neck. A moment later, Garrett sat on Anders' other side and put an arm around his shoulders, hand resting by where Fenris' head still was.

"If you need to take some time to cry, we're here for you unless you need some space," Garrett whispered lovingly.

Anders shook his head and took a deep breath. "No, it's fine, you know how it is. Some days are just rough. I don't want to bring us all down just because I'm not feeling well, especially with all the effort you two put into cheering me up earlier." At this, he couldn't help but smirk.

Garrett chuckled. "Oh? I think I can speak for us both and say we hardly mind, since it means getting to spend such quality time with you."

"Flatterer," Anders teased, the contentment between the three of him filling his heart and leaving no room to dwell on sadness for the time being.

"Oh, like you mind," Fenris jested in response. The three of them sat there like that for a while, enjoying the closeness. They all knew that soon they would have to leave to spend their nights under the stars, huddled together on several bedrolls laid side by side, but for now they had a roof over their heads and warm breakfast in their stomachs. The future was uncertain, but they knew that they would face it together.


End file.
